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1927
Winter 1927 First annual Crater Lake Ski Race staged from 1/2 mile south of Ft. Klamath, up to the Lodge on the Rim and back again to the Fort, a distance of 42.6 miles and a total elevation climb of 2,200 feet. Won by Manfred Jacobson of McCloud, California, in 7 hours and 34 minutes. A crowd of over 1,000 people showed up at the Fort to cheer on the race participants.
The history of Crater Lake cross-country ski racing
March 12, 2010 By Ron Brown
CRATER LAKE, Ore. – It’s been more than 80 years since a group of ambitious ski pioneers strapped on the slats and launched a legendary ski race in the South Central Cascade Mountains.
The Crater Lake Wilderness Race began in 1927 as a grueling run from Fort Klamath uphill to the rim at Crater Lake and back, 21 miles each way.
“There’s no groomed trail. Nobody had a machine that magically made these little tracks, or there’s probably nobody that even went up and broke trail, so that here these guys are sharing the burden,” Cross- country skier Niel Barrett said.
At first, it was just a one-way downhill race. However, in 1927 24 hardyskiers entered for a chance to win a first prize of $250. Any style, make or length of ski was fair, except no metal skis. The pine boards weighedabout 15 pounds each and were some 8 or 9 feet long. Manfred Jacobson, described as a “sandy-haired logger from McCloud, California and Waldemar Nordquist, said to be a “powerful lumber piler” from Klamath Falls, battled it out.
“It’s the love of the sport. For anybody that cross-country skis, you lovegetting out there and being able to push the envelope. For those guys about that time, they were definitely tough characters to be able to ski 21 miles there and back,” Barrett said.
Jacobson won 21 minutes ahead of Nordquist, in 7 hours and 34 minutes. A second race in 1928 drew 16 entrants, but 12 dropped out. Jacobson also won the second race, this time in a little over six hours.
Then in 1929, another Swede, Emil Nordeen of Bend, won what was now called the Klamath Cup Race in a record 5 hours and 57 minutes. He was 43-years-old, the oldest person in the race. In 1930, Manfred Jacobson was back with a winning time of 7 hours and 40 minutes. Emil Nordeen was just 34 seconds behind after battling two feet of fresh snow.
“They did a 42-mile round trip. 21 miles breaking trail up to the rim; turn around and come back down. These people were very strong. They worked hard. And they were able to go up and play hard too,” Cross-country skier John Bellon said.
In 1931 there were four entrants, but only two finished. Nordeen broke his old record with a time of 5 hours and 35 minutes, even though he almost didn’t enter because he was recovering from an injury. It was his second win. An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 came to Fort Klamath to see the races.
In 1932 the race was shortened to 32 miles, but a new ski jump was added and buses brought spectators to the events. It became an annual snow carnival and ski tournament, Poor snowfall forced cancellation ofthe 1934 race.
After the 1935 event, ski club officials realized that maybe the race was too tough, and shortened it to just five miles. Several women also entered over the years, including Myrtle Copeland of Fort Klamath in 1927, who forgot her boots and skied in her house slippers. By 1938 the races dwindled to just one mile.
March 1927 The greatest snow depth ever officially recorded by the weather bureau in Oregon when 242 inches (20.16 feet) of snow are measured in Rim Village at an elevation of 7,086 feet.
May 9 1927 Inventor and Crater Lake mechanic Paul Wright demonstrates the first use of a snowplow in the Park. The demonstration takes place near Whiskey Creek. Present at the demonstration was Horace Albright, assistant director of the National Park Service, Co. Charles Thompson, park superintendent, and members of the local media. Until Paul Wright came along with his new fangled machine, the road crews at Crater Lake were using shovels, dynamite, and bulldozers to clear the roads. Plagued by an underpowered machine, record snowfalls, and constant breakdowns, the Wright plow was finally able to open the west park road, to Annie Springs, by July 1. Even with patents, Wright was not able to find a manufacturer interested in building the plow.
June 1 1927 Mr. Wright leaves this evening to meet two mechanical men of the Park, the inventor of the big snow shovel of which he is the inventor, backed financially by a number of Medford business men, will be set to work clearing the snow from the Park’s roads. There is six feet of snow and ice at the Anna Springs camp.
Great things are expected of this powerful snow plow because of its recent successful tryout between Union Creek and the Park’s entrance. If the snow shovel fulfills expectations, and nothing happens to prevent, it is now thought that this invention will clear the West road in several days.
However, there is some skepticism as to whether the Wright plow will work so efficiently and fast. The situation of getting the park roads cleared in time for the park’s opening July 1, which looks almost hopeless for a time with fresh snow falling frequently, now looks more promising. It all depends on whether the Wright snow plow, the use of which as been contracted for by the Crater National Park management, continues to be efficacious.
Superintendent Thompson has been flooded with seekers after work since it became known several days ago that the work of clearing the roads was about to begin. He has plenty of men for this work for a long time to come, as well as for other park work. The ranger and other park positions were all filled some time ago. (Medford Mail Tribune p.2)
June 2 1927 The huge task of clearing away the deeply packed snow and ice from the roads in the Park will soon begin by a crew of ten laborers, assisted by a 5-ton caterpillar tractor. Officials hope to have the Park opened by July 1. (Gold Hill News)
It will take much hard labor, use of tractors and explosives to accomplish this because of the excessive depth and solidity of the snow. If snow continues to fall, like it has been doing, the opening of the summer season may be delayed. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THE SNOW WILL BE CLEARED AWAY FIRST FROM THE MEDFORD ENTRACE ROAD INSTEAD OF THE KLAMATH FALLS ROAD.
June 6 1927 Earle Emlay, movie director and Paul Power, leading man, were swept away by the giving away of soft snow and were carried down into a deep canyon. Mr. Emlay is the president of E.R.L. Productions who was making a movie about the wonders of the Rogue Valley and Crater Lake. The $3,000 Bell and Howell camera was demolished. Pinto Colvig, former Jacksonville boy, missed being one of the injured by seconds, having just left the spot when Emlay and Power fell and were carried down.
The two men fell from a cliff above the Anna Springs Camp. Mr. Emlay was knocked unconscious for two hours after having struck his head on a rock. Mr. Emlay was rushed to the home of Superintendent C. G. Thompson at the Anna Springs Camp where his injuries were attended to. (Medford Daily News)
June 9 1927 No work was done by the Wright snowplow in clearing away the snow from the Medford entrance road yesterday and today for the reason that the tractor of the Crater Lake National Park company, which is used to propel the plow, is unavailable until some its worn parts are preplaced. On Tuesday, however, the plow made good progress clearing the snow for 3,000 feet in the White Horse vicinity. (Medford Mail Tribune)
June 13 1927 At the Kiwanis meeting in the Medford Hotel today Pinto Colvig, formerly of Jacksonville, made a few witty remarks regarding life in Hollywood among the movie folk. Mr. Colvig said the company in which he is interested has just finished spending several days shooting pictures of Crater Lake and the surrounding scenery, that two of its men went by planes today to shoot Crater and Diamond lakes from the air and that they would be in this vicinity for several days yet securing pictures around Prospect, Table Rock and other places. Mr. Colvig was born in Jacksonville 34 years and last week was the first time he had seen Crater Lake! (Medford Mail Tribune p. 8)
July 19 1927 Paul Wright, inventor of the snow plow which is being used to clear the Crater Lake Park entrance roads of snow, came to the city last evening from the White Horse vicinity on the Medford entrance road. He reported that while the plow is working fine, the work of clearing the snow is progressing slowly because the Park’s five-ton tractor which propels the plow is too light for fast work in clearing away deeply packed snow. A much heavier and more powerful tractor is necessary for fast progress with the plow. (Medford Mail Tribune)
June 20 1927 More tough luck has been encountered with the big snow shovel and five-ton tractor used to propel it, which has been at work on the clearing away of the snow at the Medford entrance road. The break will delay the clearing work so Anna Springs camp will not be reached by this evening as expected. Repair parts were on their way to the scene from this city this noon.
The progress of the snowplow through the deep snow has been very slow because the 5-ton tractor is not powerful enough. Repairs are expected to be made this afternoon. It was learned today that the Crater Lake National Park company will move its Medford office from the Hotel Medford building on Ivy Street to the small frame store immediately adjoining the Terminal Hotel. (Medford Mail Tribune)
June 24 – 28 1927 A Celluloid Summer – Southern Oregon and Crater Lake go Hollywood. By Bill Alley SOHS
A number of short films were shot in the Southern Oregon area, including Crater Lake, during the 1920s. On June 3 the filming crew left Medford for Prospect. The plan was to shoot several films both action and scenic, to be released nationwide in the fall.
On June 24, the E.R.L. Crew moved out of the Prospect Hotel’s Auto Camp bound for Crater Lake where they would shoot some additional footage. This trip marked Pinto Colvig’s first visit to Crater Lake. Numerous shots around Crater Lake were taken, some as part of the Professor Guggs scenario, others to be saved by the company for future ventures. Several surviving still photos show the cast and crew filming along the rim of the lake, near the lodge. Snow still covered some areas, and on the road into the park Pinto and his crew stopped to be photographed on the recently developed snowplow contracted to clear the park roads.
Filming within the boundaries of Crater Lake National Park was without its hazards, especially early in the season. On June 28, Director Emlay was injured while filming a sunset near the Anna Springs park Headquarters. Without warning the snowbank upon which they were filming gave way, sending the director down a rocky 50-foot embankment. While Paul Power apparently escaped without injury, Emlay’s head struck a rock, rendering him unconscious. He was taken to the nearby home of Superintendent Thompson. It was two hours before Emlay regained consciousness.
While Emlay recuperated at Thompson’s house, the remainder of the crew returned to the site of the accident to salvage their equipment. Although, their camera did sustain some damage, it remained serviceable. While retrieving their gear, it was determined that the snowbank had become undercut by melting, leading to its collapse.
Several months after the shooting had wrapped up, Emlay announced that, using existing footage, he would be producing “the Legend of Crater Lake.” After long discussions with William G. Steel, Emlay was convinced the legend, as told to him, was “admirably suited for a moving picture epic of the ‘Ben Hur’ type. Emlay had written and copyrighted a script based on the legend and was now seeking investors.
It was estimated the film would cost $125,000. For unknown reasons, none of the films, including the Crater Lake Legend film, was ever released. Emlay was simply unable to raise the money necessary to complete the films. The fate of the 4,000 feet of raw footage is unknown.
June 22 1927 Park Superintendent C. G. Thompson warns that a Crater Lake trip right now will be a hard one. “Do not visit the Park, even to Anna Springs unless they want to drive their cars over some exceedingly rough going through deep ruts and snow and water slush. It will be several days yet before the Medford entrance road is cleaned as far as Anna Springs. Nothing will be done toward getting the rest of the roads opened until the Medford road is opened. A crew has been busy with explosives for sometime opening up fissures in the snow to help along the natural melting.”
Superintendent and Mrs. Thompson and their two sons leave tomorrow to reside there until the end of the season next September. Chief Clerk Arthur Moen will remain in charge of the office in the federal building on 6th Street in Medford until just before July.
July 1927 The first road-oiling project is begun at the Rim to fight the blowing pumice dust after a new road from Munson Valley reaches Rim Village. The new route changed the Village’s circulation pattern because the road now enters the area at the parking plaza created by the NPS instead of near the Lodge. The old 1914 behind the Lodge route is abandoned. The old 1914 – 1927 wagon/auto route is now known as the Raven Ski Trail.
July 1 1927 200 visitors visit the Park’s temporary museum in the Community House. A relief model of the park has been added, together with temporary cases to contain the bird specimens prepared by Dr. Loye Miller. The insect and rock collections are being rapidly increased. Many exhibits are waiting the construction of a more permanent building. Miss Mabel Hibbaird, of Yosemite, is in charge of the temporary museum. Dale Leslie of Eugene has been assigned as a Ranger-Naturalist. Frederick Wynd is assisting in the preparation of material for the “Manual of Information”.
July 29 1927 Stephen Mather, Park Head, says Village To Be Built on Lake Rim
“Plans for a Crater Lake village to be started at the lake next spring were approved at our recent staff conference,” stated Stephen A. Mather yesterday during his brief visit to the city.
“Our village will consist of a general store, a cafeteria, a studio and rental cabins in the rim campground.” The lack of a general store and cafeteria has been deplored by visitors and has forced them to bring their own provisions. The new camper store will stock milk, and bread. Some food items have been sold in the past in the lobby of the Hotel.”
The recent National Park staff conference was the largest staff gathering ever held at Crater Lake.
Five engineering projects are underway, including completion of a new road from Anna Springs to the rim, with a maximum grade of six and one-half percent. Those officials remaining in the Park are conducting an exhaustive study of park problems and engineering projects. Superintendent Thomson is hosting the conference. (Medford Daily News)
August 1 1927 Spoiling Crater Lake -Stephen Mather, NPS director, declares that a village will be built next year on the rim of Crater Lake. He is quoted at saying: Our village will consist of a general store, a cafeteria, a studio and rental cabins in the rim campground at the point where the new road merges with the rim road on the crater wall.
We protest the desecration and profanation of Oregon’s greatest scenic asset and beauty spot with any collection of shacks as that proposed.
A village will blemish the loveliness and charm of nature at Crater Lake.
Gifford Pinchot, when national forester, vigorously protested the erection of an inn or any other building on the rim of the lake as detracting from nature – and he was right. It is bad enough to have had the inn placed where it can be seen from all points of the lake, but its architecture harmonizes fairly well with the scenery – but a collection of shacks probably of the service station type?
However, commercialism seems the order of the day. Probably the “village” is only the first of a collection of them and the stately crags covered with shacks for the utilization of the unappreciative tourist – whose capacity for enjoying nature is nil.
Crater Lake seems striving to get in the same category as Coney Island. (Salem Journal)
August 16 1927 Maben’s Winter Movies Shown at Crater Lake Lodge “The Land of Gaywas” was the title given to the moving pictures shown in the lobby of the Lodge Sunday evening by John Maben. The scenes were taken by Mr. Maben during his long winter vigil as caretaker of the lodge. The pictures showed Crater Lake in all its snow white glory. Mr. Maben hopes to make arrangements to show these pictures of the Lake at the Community House which is a gathering place for campers. He hopes they will be so impressed by the pictures that they will carry away with them impressions of winter as though they had actually seen them. (Medford Mail Tribune, page 8)
Summer 1927 The Park begins initial work on the development and improvements on the Rim campground. Initially the Rim Camp was not planned or approved. It developed more or less spontaneously. Three comfort stations are erected in the camp during the summers of 1927, 28 and 29.
Summer 1927 Construction of the New Lake Trail is begun, with a maximum grade of 15%. New LakeTrail, which takes off from the new Rim Parking Plaza, opens the summer of 1929. The Rim Cafeteria building is constructed, built by the Salter Construction Co. of Prospect. The Lodge Company used Italian stone cutters from California. In order for visitors to see the Lake earlier in the season, 15 miles of road was cleared of snow by using explosives and shovels.
Summer 1927 Pumice slide in Annie Creek Canyon forms Shadow Pool, a short distance upstream from the junction of Annie Creek and Goodbye Creek. Named by John Maben.
Summer 1927 A new winter Superintendent’s stucco residence built in Medford on Queen Anne Street. Stone comfort stations are built at the Lake shore, at the terminus of the new Lake Trail.
Ten campgrounds are located in the Park. A new bridge is built across Goodbye Creek.
September 16 1927 Charles Lindberg flies over Crater Lake in the Spirit of St. Louis.
November 21 1927 Obit from the Even Herald, Klamath Falls, William Frank Arant of Ashland, former Crater Lake National Park superintendent for 11 years, passed way in a local hospital. He was born in Illinois in September of 1850. He is survived by his wife, Emma and four sons. Burial was at the Linkville Cemetery in Klamath Falls.
Season 1927 81,155 visitors. (Internet says: 82,354)
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